太子探花

Outstanding Drama Series

Nominees: 鈥淏etter Call Saul,” 鈥淭he Crown,鈥� 鈥淜illing Eve,鈥� 鈥淭he Handmaid鈥檚 Tale,” 鈥淭he Mandalorian,鈥� 鈥淥zark,鈥� 鈥淪tranger Things,鈥� 鈥沦耻肠肠别蝉蝉颈辞苍鈥�

Prediction: 鈥沦耻肠肠别蝉蝉颈辞苍鈥�

Two-time defending champ 鈥淕ame of Thrones鈥� is no longer on the air, making room for a new winner this year. While I would be thrilled to see Netflix鈥檚 鈥淥zark鈥� win for the most gripping cliffhangers since 鈥淏reaking Bad,鈥� expect the trophy to stay at HBO thanks to 鈥淪uccession.鈥� Its family power struggle has echoes of 鈥淭he Lion in Winter鈥� (1968) and “The Godfather” (1972), only instead of Peter O鈥橳oole or Marlon Brando, we have Brian Cox as patriarch Logan Roy scheming to hand over his empire. There are also obvious parallels to Donald Trump and Rupert Murdoch (ATN is basically Fox 太子探花), so expect a pre-Election Day vote for 鈥淪uccession.鈥�

Best Actor (Drama)

Nominees: Jason Bateman (“Ozark”), Sterling K. Brown (鈥淭his is Us鈥�), Billy Porter (鈥淧ose鈥�), Jeremy Strong (鈥沦耻肠肠别蝉蝉颈辞苍鈥�), Brian Cox (鈥沦耻肠肠别蝉蝉颈辞苍鈥�), Steve Carell (鈥淭he Morning Show鈥�)

Prediction: Jeremy Strong (“Succession鈥�)

Defending champ Billy Porter (鈥淧ose鈥�) is back, but his win felt more like a one-time gesture than a back-to-back streak. This year, the acting prize will likely go to Jeremy Strong, who completely transformed his performance as Kendall Roy between Season 1 to Season 2 due to a splashy twist at the end of the first season. However, Brian Cox (“Succession”) won at the Golden Globes, so if they split the vote, it could open up a lane for Jason Bateman (鈥淥zark鈥�) or Steve Carell (鈥淭he Morning Show鈥�) to slide in for the win. Still, I’m betting on Strong.

Best Actress (Drama)

Nominees: Jennifer Aniston (鈥淭he Morning Show鈥�), Olivia Colman (鈥淭he Crown鈥�), Jodie Comer (鈥淜illing Eve鈥�), Laura Linney (鈥淥zark鈥�), Sandra Oh (鈥淜illing Eve鈥�), Zendaya (鈥淓uphoria”)

Prediction: Laura Linney (鈥淥zark鈥�)

Jodie Comer (鈥淜illing Eve鈥�) returns as the defending Emmy champ,聽Jennifer Aniston (“The Morning Show”) won at the SAG Awards and Olivia Colman (“The Crown”) won at the Golden Globes after taking over as Queen Elizabeth II. However, I don’t think it’ll be any of those three. This year is Laura Linney鈥檚 turn for her role as the the cold-blooded matriarch Wendy Byrde in “Ozark.” Her performance stole the show in Season 3, especially her relationship with her bipolar brother Ben (Tom Pelphrey), featuring some of the strongest聽acting you’ll see.

Outstanding Comedy Series

Nominees: 鈥淐urb Your Enthusiasm,鈥� 鈥淒ead to Me,” 鈥淭he Good Place,鈥� 鈥淚nsecure,” “The Kominsky Method,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” 鈥淪chitt鈥檚 Creek,” 鈥淲hat We Do in the Shadows鈥�

Prediction: 鈥淪chitt鈥檚 Creek鈥�

Last year鈥檚 winner 鈥淔leabag鈥� is no longer in the running, while 鈥淭he Marvelous Mrs. Maisel鈥� has already won once in 2018. As such, the Emmys will honor the swan song season of “The Good Place” or “Schitt’s Creek.” I’m pulling for the latter for its quirky characters and family lessons that life in a small-town motel is more fulfilling than all of the swanky mansion parties in the world. The sixth and final season of the Pop TV sitcom hasn鈥檛 reached Netflix yet, but its climatic gay wedding is the kind of feel-good finale that Hollywood loves.

Best Actor (Comedy)

Nominees: Anthony Anderson (鈥渂lack-ish鈥�), Don Cheadle (“Black Monday鈥�), Ted Danson (鈥淭he Good Place鈥�), Michael Douglas (鈥淭he Kominsky Method鈥�), Eugene Levy (鈥淪chitt鈥檚 Creek鈥�), Ramy Youssef (鈥淩amy鈥�)

Prediction: Eugene Levy (鈥淪chitt鈥檚 Creek鈥�)

The beloved Bill Hader has won back-to-back years for 鈥淏arry,鈥� which isn鈥檛 in the running this year (HBO, give us more “Barry” please!). In its absence, Ted Danson could very well win for his divine mastermind in 鈥淭he Good Place,鈥� but Danson already won years ago for 鈥淐heers.” Instead, the prize should go to Levy, who’s never won for acting over his hilarious career (though he did win two Emmys on the writing team of “SCTV”). How sweet would it be for him to win Best Actor and Dan Levy to win Supporting Actor for a father-son victory?

Best Actress (Comedy)

Nominees: Christina Applegate (鈥淒ead to Me鈥�), Rachel Brosnahan (鈥淭he Marvelous Mrs. Maisel鈥�), Linda Cardellini (鈥淒ead to Me鈥�), Catherine O鈥橦ara (鈥淪chitt鈥檚 Creek鈥�), Issa Rae (鈥淚nsecure鈥�), Tracee Ellis Ross (鈥渂lack-ish鈥�)

Prediction: Catherine O鈥橦ara (鈥淪chitt鈥檚 Creek鈥�)

Last year鈥檚 winner Phoebe Waller-Bridge (鈥淔leabag鈥�) isn鈥檛 eligible this year, making room for worthy contenders like Issa Rae for 鈥淚nsecure鈥� and Rachel Brosnahan for 鈥淭he Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.鈥� However, I think we could see an acting sweep for 鈥淪chitt鈥檚 Creek,鈥� as O鈥橦ara will win for her eccentric, wig-wearing, plastic-surgery diva, a modern-day Norma Desmond. It would be so cool to see Levy and O’Hara win as two former “SCTV” alums.

Outstanding Limited Series

Nominees: 鈥淟ittle Fires Everywhere,” 鈥淢rs. America,” 鈥淯nbelievable,” 鈥漊northodox,” 鈥淲atchmen”

Prediction: 鈥淲补迟肠丑尘别苍鈥�

HBO’s dystopian superhero series is a lock, entering with the most total nominations at 26. It also enters with the most cultural relevancy. No show speaks to our time better than “Watchmen” with themes of police brutality and white supremacy set against the Tulsa Massacre. It might have taken a few episodes for the Jeremy Irons sci-fi subplot to fall into place, but the backstory of “Hooded Justice” fighting the underground cult “Cyclops” was shot in masterful long-takes in Episode 6. Between 鈥淲atchmen,鈥� 鈥淏lack Panther鈥� and 鈥淛oker,鈥� superhero content is at long last entering the awards conversation 鈥� and it鈥檚 great to see the genre rising to the occasion.

Best Actor (Limited Series or TV Movie)

Nominees: Jeremy Irons (“Watchmen”), Hugh Jackman (“Bad Education”), Paul Mescal (“Normal People”), Jeremy Pope (“Hollywood”), Mark Ruffalo (“I Know This Much Is True”)

Prediction: Hugh Jackman (鈥淏ad Education鈥�)

Last year, 鈥淢oonlight鈥� alum Jharrel Jerome won for Ava DuVernay鈥檚 鈥淲hen They See Us.鈥� This year, a lot of people are picking Paul Mescal in 鈥淣ormal People,鈥� which I admit I haven鈥檛 seen. Instead, I鈥檓 pulling for Hugh Jackman for HBO’s TV movie 鈥淏ad Education,鈥� playing a corrupt, complex principal in a real-life money laundering scheme on Long Island. He probably won鈥檛 win, but he鈥檚 absolutely the one I鈥檓 rooting for.

Best Actress (Limited Series or TV Movie)

Nominees: Regina King (“Watchmen”), Shira Haas (“Unorthodox”), Kerry Washington (“Little Fires Everywhere”), Cate Blanchett (“Mrs. America”), Octavia Spencer (“Self Made”)

Prediction: Regina King (鈥淲补迟肠丑尘别苍鈥�)

Cate Blanchett could win for “Mrs. America,” but I’m going with Regina King. After a stellar career from 鈥淏oyz n the Hood鈥� to 鈥淛erry Maguire,鈥� King has enjoyed a cultural moment of acclaim in recent years, winning an Oscar for 鈥淚f Beale Street Could Talk鈥� and now an Emmy for 鈥淲atchmen.鈥� She鈥檚 even getting Oscar buzz for her directorial debut 鈥淥ne Night in Miami” about Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Sam Cooke and Jim Brown gathering to discuss the Civil Rights Movement. King is on fire, and her Emmy win might only be the beginning.